Double deck brooder!

[LittleBigBantam]

I am hatching chicks (again) !

This time I will be building an outdoor brooder. I have 18 chicks that will hatch on the 21st, so I'm kind of in a rush to make a plan for this.
My only issue is the fact that I only have 1 heat lamp, and 20 chicks need to share it. Does anybody have any ideas how I can make this work?

 

[aart]

My only issue is the fact that I only have 1 heat lamp, and 20 chicks need to share it. Does anybody have any ideas how I can make this work?

Need single level for one heat lamp.

 

[LittleBigBantam]

Need single level for one heat lamp.

Okay, so you're saying I would need multiple heat sources for this to work out?

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Okay, so you're saying I would need multiple heat sources for this to work out?

You could just put the heat lamp on one level and no heat on the other, so the chicks could chose what they needed. You would probably need food and water on each level though.

 

[LittleBigBantam]

You could just put the heat lamp on one level and no heat on the other, so the chicks could chose what they needed. You would probably need food and water on each level though.

Oh okay, so you're saying let them choose which level they're on?

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Oh okay, so you're saying let them choose which level they're on?

Yes, that would work if you only had one heat lamp. It would be like if you had a heat plate, except the plate is an entire floor.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I would personally put two heat sources. When chicks are little all they want is food, water, and heat. Then when they get bigger take the second heat source away.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

@LittleBigBantam, I would take what I said with a pinch of salt, since I have NEVER raised chicks with only a heat lamp, only with heat plates and broody hens.

 

[LittleBigBantam]

When they are small I could keep them on the top level, and once they get bigger during the day I can let them roam around.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

When they are small I could keep them on the top level, and once they get bigger during the day I can let them roam around.

Hmm, that might work. Because if you keep the chicks on the top level when they are young but they still have access to the bottom level, if one goes down it might not know how to get back up and will die on cold.

Also, a double deck brooder is cool because if you have two heat sources you could raise to batches of chicks!